Bead for plaster, stucco, and the like



March 30, 1965 H, T. HOLSMAN 3,175,330

BEAD FOR PLASTER, STUCCO, AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 6, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jlwey 1 Has/4AM,

IN V EN TOR.

BY #15 Jrraews ast Ewe/s, If/ECH, Busssu. 5 KER/v March 30, 1965 T. HOLSMAN BEAD FOR PLASTER, STUCCO, AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 6, 1961 Hswzy 712310 1. SMA! 4/ By ///S ATTOENYS Haze/s, If/EC/l, Baxw 5 lie/2N United States Patent 3,175,330 BEAD FOR PLASTER, STUCCO, AND THE LIKE Henry T. Heisman, 1045 Alston Road, Santa Barbara, Caiif. Filed Nov. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 150,576 4 Claims. (Cl. 50-465) The present application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 842,978, filed September 28, 1959, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to beads for plaster, stucco, and the like, and a primary object of the invention is to provide a lattice-like bead which is made up of components having small cross sections to provide an extremely open construction, whereby the bead may be completely filled with plaster, stucco, or other cementitious material, to render a coating of such material in which the bead is embedded substantially solid in the vicinity of the bead.

Another object is to make the lattice-like bead of the invention of numerous small-diameter wires, which provide adequate reinforcement for the cementitious material, but which occupy very little volume so that the cementitious material is substantially solid in the vicinity of the bead.

Because of the small volumes occupied by the wires of the bead of the invention, the cementitious material enveloping the bead remains substantially solid even if the wires rust out in time, there being only small holes in the cementitious material under such conditions. Consequently, it is entirely practical to utilize the bead of the invention exteriorly as a stucco bead, something which has not been possible with beads heretofore known.

Considering the invention more specifically, an important object is to provide a bead which includes a latticelike wire strip having a transversely bent, central longitudinal portion forming a longitudinal rib which has a generally U-shaped cross section and which has a plurality of longitudinal wires welded to its convex side at and adjacent its apex. Such longitudinal wires provide the bead of the invention with an external configuration very similar to that of conventional sheet metal beads, while permitting plaster, stucco, or the like, to be worked between the wires into the entire interior of the bead. Thus, a substantially solid cementitious structure in the vicinity of the bead results.

Another object is to provide a bead wherein the longitudinal wires at the apex of the longitudinal rib are closely spaced to simulate the apex of a conventional sheet metal bead, while still permitting working of cementitious material between the wires.

A further object is to provide a method of achieving the foregoing close spacing of the apex wires which involves welding the apex wires to a lattice-like strip with the strip flat and with the apex wires in closely spaced relation, preferably substantially in contact, and then bending the strip transversely at the apex wires to form the U-shaped longitudinal rib with the apex wires located on the convex side of the apex of the rib. Such bending of the strip to form the U-shaped rib spaces the apex wires apart sufficiently to permit the passage of cementitious material therebetween, while still closely simulating the apex configuration of a conventional sheet metal bead.

An extremely important object of the invention is to "ice provide a reinforcing head which includes a longitudinal nose piece of an inert, i.e., noncorrodible, plastic material overlying the apex Wire of the bead. With this construction, even if portions of the nose piece are exposed to the atmosphere as the result of being incompletely covered with cementitious material, they will not be corroded, even in coastal areas, or in areas subject to corrosive atmospheric pollution. Furthermore, the plastic nose piece protects the wires forming the bead by overlying the apex wire and forming a protective seal with the surrounding cementitious material.

Another advantage of the aforementioned plastic nose piece overlying the apex Wire of the bead is that it may be made of a plastic material having some degree of flexibility and elasticity so that it can yield in response to and recover from accidental contact by extraneous objects.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a plastic nose piece which is generally crescent shaped, with a narrow gap between the longitudinal edges thereof, and which is sufiiciently flexible and resilient that it may merely be snapped over the apex wire of the bead.

A further object is to provide such a plastic nose piece wherein the longitudinal edges thereof underlie the apex wire to secure the plastic nose piece in place on the bead. An extremely important object in this connection is to provide a plastic nose piece having longitudinal edges which are tapered circumferentially to feathered or knife edges, such edges being notched by the supporting wires for the apex wire, at the points where the apex wire is welded to the supporting wires, as the result of snapping the nose piece onto the apex wire. Such notching occurs automatically and serves to securely hold the nose piece in place on the bead, which is an important feature.

Another object is to provide a nose piece having longitudinally grooved longitudinal edges which embrace the apex wire and receive it therein to secure the nose piece in place.

Another object is to provide a plastic nose piece which may be bonded to the bead my means of an adhesive, or the like.

Another object of importance is to provide a bead of the foregoing nature which may be either a corner bead or a screed bead. More particularly, an object is to provide the lattice-like wire strip with edge portions on opposite sides of the central longitudinal rib which, in one instance, are in substantially the same plane so that the strip lies flat to form a screed bead, and which, in another instance, are oriented at an angle to each other so that the strip fits over a corner to form a corner bead.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the art in the light of this disclosure, may be attained with the exemplary embodiments of the invention described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a screed bead and a corner bead of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the screed head of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the arrowed line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the arrowed line 4-4 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the corner head of the invention;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating further embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating the corner bead of FIG. 1 as it appears when equipped with the plastic nose piece of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by the arrowed line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIGS. 9, and 11 are enlarged, fragmentary sectional views respectively taken along the arrowed lines 9-9, 1010 and 1111 of FIG. 7, FIGS. 9 and 10 being on a larger scale than FIG. 11;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 and illustrating the screed bead thereof as it appears when equipped with the plastic nose piece of the invention; and

FIG. 13 is an enlarged, transverse sectional view of an alternative plastic nose piece of the invention.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a wall to be plastered or stuccoed. The wall may be of any suitable construction, the one shown being an interior wall comprising studs 12 covered by plaster boards 14. However, the wall 10 may also be an exterior wall prepared for stuccoing in a manner well known in the art, but not shown in the drawings.

The numerals 16 and 18 respectively designate screed and corner beads of the invention nailed, or otherwise secured, to the wall 10, the screed bead 16 being secured to a flat portion of the wall and the corner bead 18 fitting over a corner thereof. The screed and corner beads 16 and 18 project perpendicularly from the wall 10 substantially equal distances so that they can be used conjointly in screeding a coating 20 of plaster or stucco, FIGS. 3 4, 8 and 12, applied to the wall.

Considering the screed and corner beads 16 and 18 in more detail, each includes a lattice-like wire strip shown as comprising generally sinusoidal, overlapping wires 22 welded together at their intersections. Each strip is also shown as including two or more longitudinal wires 24 adjacent the respective edges thereof and respectively overlying and welded to two of the sinusoidal wires 22. Each strip is provided with a transversely bent, central longitudinal portion forming a longitudinal rib 26 of generally U-shaped cross section, such rib having a plurality of longitudinal wires 28 and 30 welded to its convex side. The longitudinal wires 28 are located at the apices of the ribs 26 while the longitudinal wires 30 are located adjacent the apices thereof.

It will be noted that the longitudinal wires 28 and 30 of the lattice-like wire strip forming each of the beads 16 and 18 are relatively closely spaced to simulate as nearly as possible the external configuration of a conventional sheet metal bead, thereby simulating the characteristics of such a conventional head in guiding the application of plaster or stucco. In other words, the longitudinal wires 28 and 30 are closely spaced to provide each central rib 26 with the eifect of a continuous surface relative to a trowel, not shown, in engagement therewith, while permitting the trowel to introduce plaster, stucco, and the like, into the rib between the longitudinal wires to completely fill the interior of the rib. Preferably, the spacing between each pair of the wires 28 and 30 does not greatly exceed the diameter of such wires to achieve the desired effect.

The lattice-like wire strips forming the screed and corner beads 16 and 18 differ in that the edge or flange portions of the screed bead 16 on opposite sides of the central longitudinal rib 26 are in substantially the same plane so that the screed bead 16 lies flat against a flat portion of the wall 10, whereas the corresponding edge or flange portions of the corner bead 18 on opposite sides of the central longitudinal rib 26 are oriented at an angle to each other so that the corner head 18 fits over a corner portion d of the wall 10. Otherwise, the screed beads 16 and 18 may be identical.

An important feature of the invention is that the ends of the longitudinal wires 28 and 30 at the ends of two butt spliced beads 16 or 18 interleave or mesh to form a strong joint whenever it is necessary to use two beads end to end. Similar interleaving or meshing of the ends of the longitudinal wires 28 and 30 occurs where two of the corner beads 18 meet at right angles, as at the corners of a window opening, doorway, or the like.

The overlapping sinusoidal wires 22 provide the longitudinal ribs 26 of the beads 16 and 18 with diagonal or cross bracing elements which, in turn, provide the beads with substantial strength and rigidity. Consequently, the beads 16 and 18 can be subjected to considerable rough handling during shipment, installation, and the like, without bending or other deformation. Also, the pressure applied during trowelling of plaster into the beads 16 and 18 will not collapse them as the result of such cross bracing of the ribs 26.

It will be noted from FIGS. 3 and 4 that the open, lattice-like structures of the screed and corner beads 16 and 18 permits complete filling of the interiors thereof with plaster or stucco to make the plaster or stucco coating 20 continuous and solid in the vicinities of the screed and corner beads. Thus, even if the various wires forming the screed and corner beads 16 and 18 rust out in time, the plaster or stucco coating 20 is not affected adversely to any significant extent, the rusting out of the wires forming the beads merely producing small holes in the coating. Thus, the screed and corner beads 16 and 18 may be used on exterior, stuccoed surfaces, which is not true of conventional sheet metal beads, rusting out of the latter leaving large grooves in the stucco.

Considering the method by which the desired relatively close spacing of the longitudinal wires 28 and 30 is obtained, the various wires 22, 24, 28 and 30 forming each wire strip are welded together with the strip flat and with the apex wire 28 and the two adjacent wires 30 closely spaced and substantially in contact. The welding may be efifected, for example, by feeding the wires, in assembled relation, between two welding rolls. Subsequently, the central longitudinal portion of the wire strip is transversely bent to form the central longitudinal rib 26, the direction of bending being such that the wires 28 and 30 are on the convex side of the rib. Such transverse bending to form the rib 26 has the effect of increasing the spacing between the apex wire 28 and the two adjacent wires 30 to a distance not greatly exceeding the diameter of such wires. This provides the desired substantially con tinuous external contour for the apex of the rib 26, while still permitting plaster of stucco to be worked into the interior of the apex of the rib to provide a substantially continuous and solid plaster or stucco coating.

Referring to FIG. 5, the screed head 16 is shown as provided within the central longitudinal rib 26 thereof with a central longitudinal separating strip 32 one edge of which is notched, not shown, at intervals to receive the convolutions of the central sinusoidal wire 22. The separating strip 32 is held in place in any suitable manner, as by bonding it to the screed head 16. With this construction, the screed head 16 may be utilized as a divider between two coatings 34 and 36 of different characteristics. The corner head 18 may similarly be equipped with a separating strip, not shown.

In FIG. 6, the screed head 16 is shown as having within its central longitudinal rib 26 a central longitudinal separating strip 38 which is thicker than the separating strip 32 and which extends to the surface of an associated plaster or stucco coating, the apex wire 28 being shown as omitted to permit this. The separating strip 38 is formed of an elastomeric material, such as rubber, so that, in this instance, the separating strip acts to provide an expansion joint, which is an important feature. Au

expansion joint may be provided by the corner bead 18 in a similar fashion.

Turning now to FIGS. 7 to 12 of the drawings, the screed and corner beads 16 and 18 are illustrated therein as provided with plastic longitudinal nose pieces 50 overlying the apex wires 23 of the longitudinal ribs 26 thereof. Each nose piece 50 is crescent shaped and is provided with a relatively thick central portion 52 tapering circumferentially in both directions to thin, feathered edges 54 which are relatively sharp, i.e., virtually knife edges. The longitudinal edges 54 are relatively closely spaced in the unstressed condition of the plastic nose piece 50, the lateral spacing therebetween being considerably less than the diameter of the apex wire 28.

The plastic material of which each nose piece 50 is formed is sufficiently flexible to permit separation of the longitudinal edges 54 to an extent equal to the diameter of the apex wire 28, whereby the nose piece may be snapped over the apex wire, as best shown in FIGS. 9 to 11 of the drawings. The plastic material of the nose piece 50 also has sutficient resilience or elasticity to cause the nose piece to close around and behind the apex wire 28, as best shown in FIGS. 9 and of the drawings.

As the longitudinal edges 54 of each plastic nose piece 50 close around the corresponding apex wire 28, they are indented or notched, as indicated at 56, at the points where the apex wire 28 is welded to the corresponding supporting wire 22. Such indenting or notching of the tapered edges 54 may be augmented by pressing inwardly on the sides of the plastic nose piece 50 during assembly, as by means of a clamping or rolling operation, for example. In any event, the net result is that the plastic nose piece 50 is firmly locked in place against accidental dislodgment during handling, shipping, nailing, plastering or stuccoing, or the like.

Since the plastic nose piece 50 is insert to atmospheric corrosion, it protects the bead with which it is used, and particularly the apex wire 28 thereof. Also, even if the wires of the bead should rust out completely, the nose piece 50 remains in place, this being particularly important in the case of a corner since the plastic nose piece continues to define the corner.

The inside diameter of the plastic nose piece 50 exceeds the diameter of the apex wire 28 so that the nose piece acts as a shock absorber tending to protect the cementitious material at a corner in particular. In other Words, the nose piece 50 is capable of yielding in response to and recovering from inadvertent contacts by extraneous objects, which is an important feature.

In FIG. 13 of the drawings is shown an alternative plastic nose piece 60 provided with longitudinal edges 62 having therein V-shaped longitudinal grooves 64 adapted to receive the apex wire 28 therein and to secure the nose piece 60 to such apex wire. If desired, the inner walls of the grooves 64 may extend around the apex wire 28 far enough to be indented or notched by the Welds between the apex wire and its supporting wire 22 in the same manner as described above in connection with the nose piece 50.

As another alternative, a plastic nose piece similar to the nose pieces 50 and 60 may be adhesively bonded to the apex wire 28.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A head for material such as plaster and stucco, comprising: a lattice-like strip comprising a plurality of generally sinusoidal overlapping wires extending in generally the same direction and welded together where they overlap, said strip being bent to define a longitudinal rib of generally U-shaped cross section with flange portions projecting laterally from said rib on opposite sides thereof; and a plurality of longitudinally extending wires welded directly to the convex side of said rib adjacent its apex and arranged in a generally U-shaped pattern in cross section; said longitudinal wires being spaced from said flange portions of said strip and extending along said rib in the vicinity of its apex in closely spaced relation to provide a substantially continuous external contour while permitting the introduction of material such as plaster and stucco into the interior of said rib between said longitudinal wires.

2. A bead for materal such as plaster and stucco, comprising: a lattice-like strip comprising a plurality of generally sinusoidal overlapping wires extending in generally the same direction and welded together where they overlap, said strip being bent to define a longitudinal rib of generally U-shaped cross section with flange portions projecting laterally from said rib on opposite sides thereof; and a plurality of longitudinally extending wires welded directly to the convex side of said rib adjacent its apex and arranged in a generally U-shaped pattern in cross section; said longitudinal wires being spaced from said flange portions of said strip and extending along said rib in the vicinity of its apex in closely spaced relation to provide a substantially continuous external contour while permitting the introduction of material such as plaster and stucco into the interior of said rib between said longitudinal wires; one of said longitudinal wires being an apex wire welded to the convex side of said rib at its apex; a longitudinal nose piece of plastic material secured to said apex wire; said nose piece being crescent-shaped in cross section and having longitudinal edges underlying said apex wire, said edges having a spacing in an un stressed condition which is less than the diameter of said apex Wire.

3.A bead for material such as plaster and stucco, comprising: a lattice-like strip comprising a plurality of generally sinusoidal overlapping wires extending in generally the same direction and welded together where they overlap, said strip being bent to define a longitudinal rib of generally U-shaped cross section with flange portions projecting laterally from said rib on opposite sides thereof; and a plurality of longitudinally extending Wires welded directly to the convex side of said rib adjacent its apex and arranged in a generally U-shaped pattern in cross section; said longitudinal Wires being spaced from said flange portions of said strip and extending along said rib in the vicinity of its apex in closely spaced relation to provide a substantially continuous external contour while permitting the introduction of material such as plaster and stucco into the interior of said rib between said longitudinal wires; one of said longitudinal wires being an apex wire welded to the convex side of said rib at its apex; a longitudinal nose piece of plastic material secured to said apex wire; said nose piece being crescent-shaped in cross section and having longitudinal edges underlying said apex wire, said edges having a spacing in an unstressed condition which is less than the diameter of said apex wire; said longitudinal edges of said nose piece being substantially knife edges having indentations therein at the points where said apex wire is welded to said rib.

4. A head as defined in claim 1 including at least one longitudinally extending wire overlying and welded to each of said flange portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 639,961 12/99 De Man 50-409 658,386 9/00 Mitchell 50-167 682,489 9/01 Parker 50166 893,320 7/08 Glock 50-166 1,308,773 7/19 Clark 50-165 {Other references on following page) 7' UNITED STATES PATENTS Clark 50165 Albinson 50-321 Winter 50165 De Spirt 50--3'26 Burke 50-144 Mortenson 50-346 Stockton 50-506 Stockton 50165 8 7 72,687,558 8/54 Dunlap 50--165 FOREIGN PATENTS 323,243 12/34 Italy. 528,697 6/55 Italy. 190,260 6/57 Australia.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM I. MUSHAKE, Examiner.

Disclaimer 3,175,330.Hem"3 T. Holsmcm, Santa Barbara, Calif. BEAD FOR PLAS- TER, STUCCO, AND THE LIKE. Patent dated Mar. 30, 1965. Disclaimer filed June 16, 1971, by the inventor. Hereby enter this disclaimer to claims 1 and 4 of said patent.

[Ofioial Gazette August 24, 1971.] 

2. A BEAD FOR MATERIAL SUCH AS PLASTER AND STUCCO, COMPRISING: A LATTICE-LIKE STRIP COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY SINUSOIDAL OVERLAPPING WIRES EXTENDING IN GENERALLY THE SAME DIRECTION AND WELDED TOGETHER WHERE THEY OVERLAP, SAID STRIP BEING BENT TO DEFINE A LONGITUDINAL RIB OF GENERALLY U-SHAPED CROSS SECTION WITH FLANGE PORTIONS PROJECTING LATERALLY FROM SAID RIB ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF; AND A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING WIRES WELDED DIRECTLY TO THE CONVEX SIDE OF SAID RIB ADJACENT ITS APEX AND ARRANGED IN A GENERALLY U-SHAPED PATTERN IN CROSS SECTION; SAID LONGITUDINAL WIRES BEIG SPACED FROM SAID FLANGE PORTIONS OF SAID STRIP AND EXTENDING ALONG SAID RIB IN THE VICINITY OF ITS APEX IN CLOSELY SPACED RELATION TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS EXTERNAL CONTOUR WHILE PERMITTING THE INTRODUCTION OF MATERIAL SUCH AS PLASTER AND STUCCO INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID RIB BETWEEN SAID LONGITUDINAL WIRES; ONE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL WIRES BEING AN APEX WIRE WELDED TO THE CONVEX SIDE OF SAID RIB AT ITS APEX; A LONGITUDINAL NOSE PIECE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL SECURED TO SAID APEX WIRE; SAID NOSE PIECE BEING CRESCENT-SHAPED IN CROSS SECTION AND HAVING LONGITUDINAL EDGES UNDERLYING SAID APEX WIRE, SAID EDGES HAVING A SPACING IN AN UNSTRESSED CONDITION WHICH IS LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID APEX WIRE. 